Lazy Days (16 page)

At dawn of their first day camped outside Fort
Casper, Hallie searched out Cooper tending the animals and her determination to
apologize wavered as mortification ate its way up her body. However, her
conscience wouldn't let her retreat.

Cooper heard her approach and turned. So
penetrating was his gaze that she wanted to slink away and forget why she'd
come. Before she lost her courage, she blurted, "Cooper, I'd like to–"

He stepped close and lifted a finger to her lips
to still whatever she was about to say. "Come with me," he said low
and motioned her to follow him.

Walking past their wagon, he led her to the
seclusion of a copse of trees. Leaning against the trunk of one he said,
"Now say what you want. I get sick of wondering whose watching and
listening to everything we do."

Hallie fortified her courage. "I-I just
wanted to say I'm sorry for my audacious behavior and ask that you please put
the unseemly incident behind us. Well, actually, the two incidents."

Locked into his gaze, Hallie watched him break
eye contact and squat to snap off a blade of grass, stick it between his teeth
and from that position, lock eyes with her again. "Now what unseemly
behavior might that be, Hallie?"

Hallie's eyes widened and she stammered,
"M-my kissing you…yesterday and…and at the Platte River."

Cooper adjusted the blade in his mouth.
"Now why would you think it was unseemly?"

Hallie couldn't believe his response and her
heart tripped. "B-because it's…it's…"

Cooper quirked an eyebrow, "It's
what?" Slowly, he rose off his haunches, towering above her.

Hallie's mouth went dry when he stepped to within
a hairs breadth of her body. A twitch moved the corner of his mouth and he
reached for the blade of grass, tossing it to the ground. Hallie's eyes widened
when he continued, "I'm tired of fighting this and I was thinkin' maybe
you could do a repeat and show me the audacious part."

Hallie's voice deserted her and she stood frozen
like a statue.

Cooper's gaze shifted to her mouth, back to her
eyes, and returned to her mouth. Softly, he whispered, "Kiss me,
Hallie."

Like a moth drawn into a fire, Hallie stood on
tiptoe and moved her mouth toward his at the same time he lowered his head.
When their lips touched, she clutched his shoulders, hauling herself tightly
against him. He smiled against her mouth and then did what she craved, kissed
her without restraint. He braced the back of her head with one of his big hands
and angled it just right. His tongue flicked her bottom lip and she melted
against him, opening her mouth to his exploration.
Oh, sweet Jesus!

When Cooper reached to cup her backside with his
free hand and pull her tightly against his hips, she moaned and almost begged him
to drop her in the grass. Releasing her grip on his shirt, she had an urge to mimic
him and grab his backside, too, but courage failed her there. Instead, she
wrapped her arms around his neck and mated her tongue with his.

A noise startled them and they burst apart.
Hallie gathered her wits and turned to see Tim's shocked expression.

* * *

Cooper wanted to curse—loudly. Instead he
stepped away from Hallie and said, "Tim, I don't want you to be upset.
This wasn't your ma's doin'."

Tim moved his gaze from Cooper to his mother. In
a voice choking with emotion, he said, "Pa ain't been dead long at all.
How do you think he's feelin' watchin' from heaven?"

Hallie stepped forward on a soft cry, "Tim,
please–"

The boy turned and ran back to camp.

Lifting a trembling hand to her lips, Hallie
turned eyes overflowing with tears toward Cooper and rasped, "He's right.
This is so improper."

Cooper watched Hallie retreating as she rushed
after her son. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the makings for a
smoke, all the while repeating every curse word he knew, even inventing some
new ones.

Throughout the day, while making repairs to
their wagon, he kept a close watch on Hallie and Tim. Her attempts to speak
with her son were virtually ignored and she did not press him to listen; probably
a good idea for now. As for her speaking to Cooper, she avoided him like a rabbit
would a coyote. Before the day was over Cooper added a few more choice words to
his vocabulary.

At a meeting to discuss the current
"Important Particulars," Captain Jones advised the pioneers that they
were at a crucial point in their travels. He warned that after leaving Fort
Casper they would be crossing the North Platte at Guinard's Toll Bridge, three
miles away, and the terrain would become barren, with good grazing and water in
short supply. He highly suggested that anyone needing to avail themselves of the
blacksmith and well-stocked trading post should not procrastinate because they
were leaving the day after next.

Cooper decided to change their axle and after
smashing his thumb a couple of times, was finally able to concentrate on the
task at hand.

Supper was a solemn occasion. Tim received his
plate from his mother and promptly walked past the animals to eat alone. Hallie
dished her own plate and climbed inside her wagon.

Left alone, Cooper ladled beans over biscuits,
the worst he'd ever tasted, and walked toward Tim. Immediately, the boy removed
himself to another place. Cooper sighed and wished he didn't feel such longing for
Hallie.

Hallie walked beside her wagon as it rolled toward
the toll bridge spanning the North Platte. Before breaking camp that morning, Captain
Jones had ordered that lots be cast to determine the order of the wagons for travel,
and hers had come in next to last. Ahead of her, the Pittance schooner was
about to cross over, with Mrs. Pittance haggling the price of the toll. It was
then that Pastor Pittance stepped beside his wife and handed the operator the
amount he'd asked for. Although Mrs. Pittance's face contorted in anger, she did
not argue.

When Cooper led Hallie's wagon forward, she moved
to pay the Frenchman, but Cooper reached into his pocket, selected some coins,
and paid the toll. Unreasonable anger lodged in Hallie's heart. She determined
that as soon as they were on the other side, she would reimburse the amount to
him.

When they had crossed over, she confronted
Cooper. "How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing."

"That's ridiculous. How much do I owe
you?"

Cooper settled piercing blue eyes on hers and
stubbornly repeated, "Nothing."

Hallie tried again. "Cooper, I will not let
you spend your money on my expenses."

His eyes flashed. "Hallie, you can argue until
hell freezes, but I paid the toll; end of story." He motioned behind her.
"Maybe you can help him."

Hallie turned to see Stubby and his small cart
pulled by one ox turning his load around. She frowned and turned back to Cooper.
He shrugged.

Redirecting her exasperation from Cooper to Stubby,
she stalked back across the bridge and called to the toll operator,
"Excuse me. Why is he turning around?"

"Enchanté," the little man said, and
then in accented English, "He requires more money to cross my bridge. I told
him to go sell something and return."

Hallie watched Stubby's dejected posture as he steered
his ox back toward the fort. Sighing, she said, "I'll pay his toll. How
much?"

The Frenchman grinned, shouted at Stubby, and
reached his hand out for her money. He said, "I am a fair man. I never
charge the same for carts as big wagons."

After paying the price that was, indeed, fair, Hallie
rushed back across the bridge. As soon as she reached her wagon, Cooper cracked
the whip and the animals moved forward. She sighed, glad Tim was with the Hankersons
and couldn't feel the animosity she was harboring toward Cooper.

As Captain Jones had warned, travel became even
more difficult and the ground yielded little in the way of grass for the
animals or good streams for water. After several days and fifty miserable miles,
with dust so thick at times they had to wear kerchiefs over their mouths, a
shout passed from wagon to wagon, "Independence Rock!"

Hallie stepped away from her wagon and smiled
her first real smile in days. And when Tim, following her, returned her smile,
the landmark was forgotten and a tear slipped down her cheek. Perhaps her son
had forgiven her behavior. She opened her arms. He hesitated and then stepped
into the circle of her hug. Leaning over and holding her boy tightly, she said,
"I'm so sorry, Tim. Please forgive me."

Tim sniffed, "No, Ma. I'm sorry. I
shouldn't have–"

"Don't say anything, son. You were right.
Your pa's only been dead a few months. I don't know what I was thinking."

"But, ma–"

"We won't talk about it anymore. Let's just
think about our place in Oregon." She pointed toward Independence Rock.
"Son, that rock is another milestone on our journey. Captain Jones said
that beyond it is the Sweetwater River."

Independence Rock was reached in the late
afternoon, and even though there was still daylight for travel, Captain Jones
called camp. A few adventurous pioneers climbed to the top of the rock and came
back with stories of hundreds of names scrawled on it, testament to previous travelers.
They also said they saw sweeping views of the Sweetwater River, the river that
would guide them to Devil's Gate and South Pass. The spirit of the camp soared
and that night a celebration broke out with music; they were almost halfway to
Oregon!

Hallie watched Tim playing with a group of boys
and sniffed back another wave of melancholy. Her relationship with her son was
healed, but feelings for Cooper persisted. Searching the camp she saw him speaking
with the fancy ladies. A lump lodged in her throat while longing lodged in her
heart. When he laughed at something Clarissa said, Hallie had to look away to
battle her jealousy. Hallie's friendship with Clarissa had deepened and guilt
plagued her for jealousy over a man she needed to purge from her heart.

A familiar voice interrupted her conflicting
emotions. "Ma'am?"

Hallie turned to see Stubby standing with his
hat in hand. "Yes, Stubby."

"Seems I owe you again. I been gettin' the
courage up to thank you fer the loan at the bridge. I'll repay–"

"It wasn't a loan. You don’t have to repay
me."

Stubby turned scarlet. "That's where you're
wrong, ma'am. I'll pay you back, that's fer sure."

Hallie said, "This is probably none of my
business, but I once heard you say you had done well with the cards. What
happened to–"

Stubby turned even redder. "Me 'n Harley
lost almost ever-thing in a card game at Fort Kearney."

Trying to keep the censor out of her voice,
Hallie said, "Well, it's time to put the past behind you and look to the
future. You can't change what's already happened." She knew she was speaking
the words as much to herself as to Stubby.

The fiddlers tapped the count to another tune
and Sharon interrupted them. "Stubby, how 'bout a dance?"

Hallie glanced from Stubby to Sharon and saw
jealousy in her eyes.
Are you kidding me?
Quickly, she said, "Gotta
go find my son."

* * *

The following day, Captain Jones led the wagons
south of a chasm carved by the Sweetwater River and aptly named Devil's Gate
because of its jagged granite rocks.

Once past the gorge, the Captain halted the
wagons and ordered Cooper and several other men to go in search of the
pronghorn that populated the area.

Cooper and the men returned with three kills and
camp was called so the animals could be cleaned and cooked. That night everyone
enjoyed fresh meat.

While Cooper sat beside the fire and filled
himself with the delicious meal, he watched Hallie speaking with Clarissa. As
unlikely as it seemed, a prostitute and a farm girl had formed a bond of
friendship. He continued to watch Hallie and gulped a mouthful of hot coffee that
burned the hell out of his tongue.
Damn, I've got to get my mind off Hallie.

Hallie turned from speaking with Clarissa, met
his gaze, and quickly looked away. Even so, the eye contact was enough to scorch
the air.

Cooper cursed again and looked to where Tim was warming
himself beside Emmett and Lydia's campfire. Chewing another bite of pronghorn,
he wondered how he could restore his relationship with the boy. Like his
mother, Tim avoided him, although sometimes he caught the kid watching him and
wondered what he was thinking. All-in-all, Cooper was feeling pretty shitty and
didn't know how to make things right.

Following the Sweetwater River the wagons entered
South Pass, the only way through the Rocky Mountains. Surprisingly, the wide passage
stretching for miles in every direction ascended so gradually as to almost not
be recognized as an ascent. At the crest, Captain Jones halted the train and
trotted Midnight the length, shouting, "It may not look like much, but
we're at the Continental Divide where the waters part and run in opposite
directions. We're also over halfway to our destination."

A shout arose among the emigrants. Hallie and Tim
held hands and circled in a happy dance. For an instant, Hallie smiled lovingly
at Cooper and his breath caught. He wanted to join the dance with them.

* * *

The day after crossing the Continental Divide
the group reached the Parting of the Ways, a crossroad where the train in front
of them turned off. Unexpectedly, some of the wagons in their own group pulled
into the open field to bypass their fellow travelers and hitch up with the
other train.

Confused, Hallie asked Cooper, "What are
they doing?"

Cooper explained. "Some of our folks got to
conversing with the other train and learned that once they reached Parting of
the Ways there was another road called the Sublette Route that would save about
forty miles, and they decided to hitch up with them."

"Hmm. There must be a reason Captain Jones
isn't choosing to go that direction."

"There sure is. It bypasses Fort Bridger
and crosses the Little Colorado Desert without water for fifty miles."

Hallie frowned. "I wish them all the best,
but I trust Captain Jones's judgment."

Cooper pushed his Stetson back. "At least
only four wagons were persuaded to leave our train."

A week later, Captain Jones called camp outside Fort
Bridger. Hallie said to Tim, "We're on the downward side of our journey
and I think we should celebrate with a treat."

Tim looked at his mother expectantly.

Hallie winked. "Surely, the trading post
has candy."

He grinned. "I hope they have
licorice."

When Cooper walked toward the fort, Hallie and
Tim joined him. Cooper said, "Later, we need to inventory our supplies and
tomorrow I'll bring the wagon into the fort to stock up."

Hallie pointed to the south. "What is that
mountain range?"

"Those are the Uinta Mountains."

She inhaled deeply. "The sky is so blue
here and the air so fresh."

The trading post proved to be one of the best so
far. As promised, Hallie bought candy for Tim, and unknown to him, she
purchased extra licorice to surprise him with later down the road.

That night, while Hallie sat around her campfire
and enjoyed a licorice stick herself, she suddenly realized she hadn't seen Prudence
Pittance for a day or so. Glancing in the direction of Pastor and Mrs.
Pittance's wagon, she watched a woman enter carrying a tray of food.

The next day, after setting out on their journey,
Hallie walked alongside Clarissa to pass the monotony of plodding along.

Hallie said, "I haven't seen Pastor or Mrs.
Pittance lately. Have you?"

Clarissa brushed back a stray strand of fiery
red hair and turned to look at her. "I think the pastor is ill. I heard
one of the women in their congregation telling Captain Jones he was feeling a
might poorly."

"When was that?"

"It was the day we reached Fort
Bridger."

"Well, even though they're not my favorite
people, I certainly hope it's nothing serious."

"I agree. I don't like them much either,
but I'm not so mean as to wish anything bad on them."

Changing the subject, Hallie said, "I heard
Captain Jones telling Cooper we're going to reach Thomas Fork soon and ford
another stream. He said two bridges are there now, but before they were built in
the fifties, crossing was most treacherous. I'm amazed at what the emigrants
before us accomplished. We have it easy compared to them."

Clarissa kicked a rock. "I suppose there
will be another toll. I sure hope we don't have to pay too many more, what with
havin' to buy supplies and such. A wagon train ain't the best place to earn a
livin' and me and the gals are havin' to make our money stretch. Course we been
servicin' the soldiers at the forts, but they can't pay the kind of money we're
used to makin'."

Hallie coughed and didn't respond. Should she commiserate
with Clarissa's predicament or encourage her to find another
"occupation"?

Changing the subject again, she said,
"Stubby and Sharon seem to be getting along well."

Clarissa laughed and said conspiratorially,
"That's fer sure. We been teasin' Sharon 'bout her bein' sweet on
him." She cocked her head to the side. "As fer yerself, I been
noticin' that you and Cooper don't talk much. After the day he pulled you on
his horse and rode off with you, I thought fer sure we'd be havin' a wedding.
You know, Pastor Pittance could marry you two."

Hallie glanced sharply at Clarissa. "Cooper
is simply accompanying Tim and me to Oregon. There is nothing between us."

Clarissa only raised her eyebrows and cast a
doubtful look at Hallie.

Late that afternoon, Thomas Fork was reached and
the creek forded over a bridge.

The next day they arrived at Big Hill and their travel
became tedious as the wagons ascended the hill. The descent was even worse.
Except for the usual mechanical problems with the wagons and a horse that
stumbled, broke a leg, and had to be put down, they finally made it safely to
Clover Creek on the other side.